The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1887-11-10

ICHcFat JOVeInEOent exeICtSSS any
control as to its free sale; but since the
Internal Revenue Act Of July I, 1861,
the planter is limited to but three
classes of purchasers leaf dealers, man.
ufacturers, and purchasers of leaf to-
bacco for export; if he sells to any one
else he becomes liable, as a retail
dealer in leaf tobacco, to the special
tax of $500, etc. 1t is the duty of
every farmer raising and selling to-
bacco, on demand of any revenue off,
Ger, to furnish complete statement,
verified by oath, of the amount of his
sales, to whom sold and where shipped.
This tax has fluctuated from forty cents
down to eight cents per pound, and at
the present rate every pound of leaf to-
bacCo that does not sell for eight cents |
is subject in its manufactured state to !
a tax greater than the value of the !
product itself. No such burden has
ever oppressed an Anglo-Saxon agrI1
cultural class. ~
y<ThE WAREHOUSE SYSTEM.
{ Previous to the war the medium of
warehouses to facilitate the sale of to-
bacco was so little known as to be ex-
ceptional. The common practice was
to sell it to merchants, manufacturers
or buyers in modes most convenient to
all parties. Much was shipped to fac
tors in Richmond and Petersburg.
This shipping consisted Of attaching a
tandem team, sometimes of an oxen
and a mule to the hoghead, which re-
volved on a central axis, and was vir-
tually rolled to market. The war in
terfered with this system, and the re-
turn of peace destroyed it. The plan
ter, his credit destroyed by the loss
of his slaves, had to live as it were
from hand to mouth. He had to make
frequent small sales to meet family ne
cessties. He had to find a market
often and in hurry. This demand
was met by the opening of sales houses
at points on railroads chiefly, because
on railroads could more readily be
met the requirements of the revenue
service, and Danville, in Virginia, Dur
ham, Henderson, Winston, Reidsville,
{ Oxford, Greensboro, Milton, Hickory,
, Hilsboro, Marshall and recently Rail
eigh, and other points in this State
have in this way become the centres Of
! the tobacco industry.
The warehouses are large buildings,
generally Of one story and basement,
with great floor capacity, and we'll
!, , lighted by ample skylights, so the
color and quality of the tobacco are
faithfully exposed. The tobacco is
brought from the surrounding country
IN wagons, planters frequently hauling
, their crop thirty and forty miles to
reach either the nearest or their fav-
orite warehouses. This tobacco is
: carefully placed in piles of uniform
. grade, after being weighed, upon the
> warehouse floor, tag inserted in a
} cleft stick is placed upon each pile
y on which is written the name of the
. owner, and also the number Of pound:
> in the pile. At the hour of sale out
y cry is made at each pile, The price
marked On the tag, and also entered
: upon a book, and this is repeated a
e each pile until all the piles on th'
a floor are sold. This is called ";
~ break" A farmer, dissatisfied witt
J. the price his pile fetches, can repu
- diate the sale and take his tobacco
y away at no charge. The compensa
Il tion OF the warehousemen is a com
mission of from ~ to 3 per cent. Oh
the sales. There is also charge TO
d. weighing each pile, and an auctioneer'
b. fee for crying off the same. The far
ly mer looks to the warehouse for pay
e. ment, which is made as soon as tn
at sales (or breaks are over. The ware
IS. houseman is reimbursed by the les
I'd dealer (or buyer), who has purchase
he the tobacco at the sale. ~
y. PRIZE HoUSE-"THE BUYERS"
ne AS soon as he has purchased a pil
ed of tobacco the buyer has his employee
n to remove it from the warehouse f1ot
I'd to his Prize House" These hous'
e; are generally of wood upon brick {
nd stone basement, three or four stori'
high, and from IS to 40 feet wide au
as 100 to I25 feet long, in size. Son
or of them are truly of mammoth pr
ny portions. They must be well ventil
Ut ted, for they perform the functio
va necessary to put the tobacco IN col
nd venient shape for transportation, whi'
de is done in hogheads or tierces,
IDS which the leaf, selected according
on grade and most carefully and sy
tematically packed, is subjected
ich heavy pressure by means OF screws, al
nd tine packages, weighing from 600, g.
m and 900 pounds, closely headed .
cry are ready for their destination. IT
ga may be to any part of the Unit
'od States and Canada ; and lately quite
nd business has been developed dire
'aii shipment from these tobacco mark
DTS. to Great Britain and Germany. Tn.
BILE buyers are either operating upon tn
to- own capital, purchasing where they .
'tic a bargain with the hope Of reselling
best a profit, or " order men," as they ;
:. called, that is, parties who have
ceived orders to buy certain kinds
ex- tobacco for their principals The